


Rookie Mistakes

by xo_thefirst



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 04:23:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5320289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xo_thefirst/pseuds/xo_thefirst
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lu Han is slated to be the frontrunner of the bartending competition in Vegas. He tries not to worry when he hears about a new bartender in town, easily making his way to the top and into Lu Han's life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rookie Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [naega_star](https://archiveofourown.org/users/naega_star/gifts).



> i hope this is something you enjoy reading, lovely recipient! i would love to write your other prompts one day in the far future because they were all amazing, if you'd let me. it was so hard to choose one to write in the little time that i had, but anyways! i enjoyed writing this so i hope you enjoy reading it :) (i also have no idea how bartending competitions work so please excuse any inconsistencies that may show up.)

Sometimes, Lu Han forgets he’s been in Las Vegas for three years already. He came on a business trip, translating for his manager and becoming the middleman into opening up his best friend’s trending café in one of the hottest cities in America, and hasn’t regretted it since.

Lu Han smiles as he shakes the drink in his hands three times before opening up the container and pouring the liquid concoction in the glass in front of him. He chuckles when the women in front of him coo. “Here you go, miss,” he says, sliding the glass over to the woman in the middle, “First is on the house.”

The girls giggle at his words, the woman giving him a twenty-dollar bill anyways with a piece of paper underneath. “This is for you then,” she says, smiling at him softly.

Lu Han returns her gesture with a wink, swiping the cash and paper off the counter before attending to the other patrons at the bar. Taking up bartending in-between shifts at Minseok’s café shouldn’t have had such a huge impact on his life, considering he never thought of it as a career or anything of the sort in the first place, but he actually came to enjoy it. The tips are amazing and it’s fascinating to see who comes in and orders something unique. He’s happy he took the chance to come with his friend that fateful day.

“One Bannister, please,” someone speaks up, and Lu Han laughs when he turns and sees his best friend standing on the other side of the counter. Today, Minseok is wearing a casual suit, grey in color, and Lu Han whistles at how attractive the man is. “Haven’t I told you to stop staring at me already?”

Lu Han rolls his eyes, even though he’s always amused when this conversation comes up. “Haven’t I told you to stop wearing suits like that?” he fires back, going to make his drink. It’s seconds later until he realizes what he’s making and gives the other a strange look. “Cocktail today?”

Minseok shrugs, leaning against the counter. “Feel like it.” His gaze falls on the women from before and Lu Han laughs when Minseok smiles at them, watching them giggle some more. “When’s the competition this year?”

Lu Han hums as he gathers the ingredients with ease, pouring the gin and egg whites last, before getting to work on it. He looks up at his friend with uncertainty, trying to think of the actual date. “Two days from now, I think?” he questions before looking behind the counter and to the calendar hidden a few feet away from him. The day is circled in black, signifying Lu Han’s personalized color, and he smiles when he realizes he was right. “Yeah. Two days from now.”

“I heard there was a new guy in town though,” Minseok comments, reaching out to give his friend a five-dollar bill, and laughs when he gives him a half-hearted glare. “He’s a rookie, but I heard he’s good.”

Lu Han shrugs at the information, already hearing that from some of the other bartenders he beat in the preliminaries. He grabs a clean glass and pours the new mixture into it. “What if he’s good? He’s still a rookie,” he says, the unspoken words ‘ _I’m still better_ ’ hanging in the air. He avoids Minseok’s imploring stare in favor of cleaning the used containers littering the bar.

Despite the loudness surrounding them, it’s quiet between them as other patrons ask for more drinks with the same woman from before requesting another. It makes Lu Han think. He’s been bartending for three years now, but he was able to pick it up quickly, entering the bartending competition nearing the end of his first year and managing to get third before getting second the next. He was supposed to be better this year, finally becoming the frontrunner in the whole Vegas strip as everyone else predicted, but if there is a new guy in town, what is he going to do?

He frowns at his friend until Minseok gives him a smile, struggling to reach over the counter and force one side of his lips up into a grimace of a smile. “I’m sure you’ll be the front-runner this year,” he says, patting his cheek affectionately, “You have a natural talent for this stuff. I haven’t been giving you days off for no reason, you know.”

That makes Lu Han scoff, appreciating his friend just that much more, as he tilts his head away and in the direction of the women still sitting at the bar. “I quit, you know,” he retaliates, giving him a thankful smile, “See if they’d like to go dancing or something. You’ll need the company for the next couple of days.”

 

Two days pass by in a flash, Lu Han practicing his tricks and moves with every serve and downtime he had, and he tries to push the oncoming anxiety down with wine the morning the final competition starts. He’s in one of the hotel rooms the competition officials booked, always cautious in case a competitor doesn’t take the failure or win well and ends up drunk within an hour after it ends, and he paces the floor with his glass of wine.

“You’re going to be fine, Han,” Minseok reassures, leaving his café to his Canadian friend for the day, but the worried expression on his face gives him away and Lu Han releases a shaky sigh at the thought of it. “You’re going to be the one this time. You’re going to win.”

“I know I am,” Lu Han says quietly, hoping to reassure himself even though he knows it’s not going to work this time, “But there’s that small chance I won’t.”

A knock interrupts the rest of their conversation, Minseok quickly going to open the door, and they’re surprised to see another man on the other side, lips curled up like a kitten’s and gaze strangely warm. “Hello,” the man greets, bowing, and they realize he’s Korean like Minseok, “My name is Jongdae. I’m one of the new competitors in the bartending competition.”

The introduction startles Lu Han, eyes widening as his and Jongdae’s eyes meet before the latter is looking down to the glass in his hand. He never expected any of the competitors to look this young and, to make it to the final ten, that’s quite a feat.

“Oh, Jongdae!” Minseok exclaims, stepping aside so the other can enter. He gives his best friend a smile, pointing exaggeratedly to Jongdae when he turns to face away from him and towards Lu Han. “I heard you’re the new rookie who could win this year.”

The glare Lu Han receives snaps him out of his shock, brows furrowing to stare at the new bartender. He’s shorter than him, about the same height as Minseok, and he looks _young_. “I’m Han, or Lu Han if you prefer,” he greets, shaking the man’s hand. It’s surprising how rough his hand is when Jongdae’s eyes light up even more in recognition.

“You’re Lu Han! The one slated to win this year!” Minseok is laughing in disbelief, Lu Han frowning when Jongdae’s expression morphs into one of amusement, lips turning up into a smirk to probably spite him. “I heard you’re a natural.”

The way Jongdae says it, almost as if he’s challenging him for something else, makes Lu Han’s blood boil, the competitive nature in him rising to the bait. “And you’re the rookie going against me in the finals.”

“If you can make it that far.” The tension in the air thickens as Jongdae takes his leave, sending him an annoyingly charming smile as he walks out the door. “I’ll see you tonight.”

It takes all of Minseok holding Lu Han back to keep him from attacking Jongdae when the door closes, struggling to keep him inside the room as he spews a string of profanities in Mandarin.

 

The beginning of the competition goes by in a flash, Lu Han’s first opponent one of his last from the previous year – a Chinese woman who goes by the American name Victoria – and he breathes a sigh of relief when their round ends. She’s one of the toughest in the competition because of her striking grace and elegance, and he takes it as a personal victory when he wins.

It doesn’t take long after that to get to the final two, Lu Han’s jaw dropping in shock again when he watches Jongdae captivate the audience with ease and beat out the remaining opponents. His looks are charming, his smile and cheekbones his winning factor along with his skills, and it throws Lu Han off-guard because Jongdae looks _harmless_.

“There will be a forty-minute break before the final round,” one of the judges announces, “Han Lu and Jongdae Kim will battle it out in one of the hottest competitions in the Vegas strip!”

Lu Han rolls his eyes at the speaker. He always liked to say the weirdest things some times and this year is no different. He turns when he feels Minseok pull on his arm, leading him out into the lobby and barely catches a glimpse of Jongdae leaving the bar behind them, talking to some of the patrons sticking around.

“Do you need more wine?” Minseok suddenly asks. He doesn’t even look back as he answers for him. “Yeah, you need some wine. Let’s pop open the other good bottle to loosen you up.”

“Thanks for the confidence boost,” Lu Han mutters, frowning when Minseok turns to give him a small smile.

“Sorry.”

He rolls his eyes at the apology, knowing fully well that Minseok is just looking out for him, but he can handle this. He’s been practicing all year. He _knows_ he’s going to win the title this time. “Are you hungry?” Lu Han asks, looking over his shoulder towards the little sandwich café in the lobby, “If I give you money, can you go buy some sandwiches and bring them up?”

“Are you sure?”

It takes a reassuring smile and enough money to buy three lobsters to get Minseok to go get the sandwiches, but when he’s gone, Lu Han heaves a sigh of relief before going towards the elevators. He’s lucky when he gets one to himself, watching as the doors close in front of him, before a hand blocks it from closing all the way. He mutters another curse in Mandarin when he realizes whose hand that belongs to and Jongdae saunters into the elevator with that same charming smile in place.

“Get your own elevator,” Lu Han mutters petulantly, watching as Jongdae pushes a different number for his floor. It’s unnatural how bitter he feels when he’s only met the man today.

“It’s more entertaining and saves on time if I take the same elevator with you though,” Jongdae sings back. Lu Han is momentarily entranced by how _nice_ his voice is. “Besides, I need to relax myself. It’s probably luck how I got this far in the first place.”

“Luck, my ass,” Lu Han grumbles under his breath, staring at the other warily as he draws some invisible object on the mirrored walls. He stares as Jongdae flicks his gaze up in the reflection and his lips tilt into a smirk again.

“Yes, my ass _is_ great.”

Lu Han chokes on his own spit, turning to try and hide his face because he _knows_ how ugly he can get when he’s not just standing there doing nothing productive. He doesn’t expect to feel a hand gently rubbing his back immediately afterwards and laughter to resonate within the small space.

“I didn’t expect to kill you with my great humor and amazing looks,” Jongdae says, sounding pleased with himself, “But if that’s what’ll get me the title, then I’m all for it.” Lu Han can see his proud smile through the mirrored walls. “Although, I’d rather win it based on skill and not luck or accidental death.”

And Lu Han doesn’t know what happens, but within the next second, he’s pushing Jongdae up against the opposite wall and trapping him between his arm and the corner. It’s gratifying, how much taller and stronger Lu Han is, and he smiles when he presses closer and can feel Jongdae shiver against him. “Who says you’re going to win?” he murmurs, voice low, as something inside him snaps, “You’re just a rookie.”

The elevator stops, opening up on Lu Han’s floor, but he doesn’t move. He stays in his spot, rooted, because Jongdae is pretty up close. He can’t look away.

“And you’re a veteran with no hope of winning,” Jongdae eventually breathes back, gaze flicking over to the side when people show up. But when they catch sight of them, they don’t enter, staring at them with wide eyes. “You should give it up and let the young ones win.”

The doors eventually close and they both shift when the elevator starts to move again. It takes the next stop at a different floor for Lu Han to snap out of it, finally realizing what he’s doing and taking a step back. He bites his bottom lip, unsure of what just happened, when all Jongdae does is stand there slumped against the wall.

He doesn’t know what to say, shocked with his own actions, and Lu Han breathes out an apology before hitting the opposite wall. The look Jongdae gives him is dark, different from any of the other expressions he’s seen, and he gulps. It looks like a silent plea for him to do something, anything, and Lu Han doesn’t understand what’s going on at all.

“You’re different,” is what Jongdae says before they finally reach his floor, peeling himself off of the wall to get off the elevator. He turns back, just like earlier, and he almost looks back to normal. The only thing that’s different is the way he eyes Lu Han, like he’s some lost treasure he’s finally found after years of searching, and it makes his heart beat faster at the thought. “I’ll see you on the floor.”

It takes Lu Han another five minutes to finally make it back to his floor, thankfully before Minseok got back and made a fuss of his sudden disappearance.

 

The next time they meet, Jongdae is all smiles with barely concealed taunts. It frustrates Lu Han into screaming into his hands and doing his best to work harder than he thought possible.

It pays off in the end when Lu Han wins, smile threatening to break his face in two when Minseok runs under the divider and behind the bar to hug and cheer with him. It feels like no time has passed at all since the very beginning.

He looks over his shoulder when he feels someone pat it and he laughs when he sees Jongdae smiling at him, looking content as a cat in a small, warm box. “Congrats,” Jongdae says, voice barely heard over the cheers and clinking glasses going around. “I demand a re-match in the future.”

Lu Han automatically nods, reaching out to pull him into a hug too, and it feels strangely comforting. “You got one,” he shouts into his ear, feeling a hand slip into his back pocket. When they pull away, he looks at Jongdae confused only to see him wink in return.

“Anytime.”

 

Later, in the early hours of the morning, Lu Han finally remembers about the incident from earlier. He slips his hand into his back pocket and is surprised to find Jongdae’s name and number scribbled on a torn piece of paper from a wine label, laughing incredulously because _of course_.

“ _This soon already? I was hoping for a longer break to recuperate from this devastating loss_.”

All Lu Han does is laugh, disturbing Minseok from paying his bills, and he has to leave the room to go out to the balcony to talk to his newfound friend. He thinks it’s going to be an interesting fourth year in Vegas if Jongdae is planning to stay, talking up a storm until he finally mentions the elevator incident. He doesn’t expect him to mention his body though, cheeks heating in embarrassment.

“ _Do you play a sport? Your thighs felt amazing against my body, hot even. I’d like to test them out one day_.”

Lu Han curses in Mandarin again, muttering Jongdae’s name afterwards, and he shudders when Jongdae hums through the phone, sounding exceptionally pleased with how the conversation is going.

“ _If you’re going to fuck me, I’d rather have dinner and a movie first_.”

“Fuck, Jongdae,” Lu Han repeats, turning around to see Minseok giving him an amused stare, “You’re not going to get dinner or a movie if you keep talking like that.”

There’s a short pause before Jongdae speaks again, Lu Han groaning because Jongdae is the epitome of frustration.

“ _Then let’s see how long you last, Lu Han_.”


End file.
